The Andalusia Bulldogs’ soccer team picked up win No.1 over Providence, and Shelbee Matthews became the first female to score a goal the program’s history.

 

The Bulldogs started out slow, but turned it up a notch in the second half against Providence. Matthews tied the game up at 1-1 with a rocket from around 22 feet out that caught the bar and ricocheted into the back of the net. Wain Yongkuma followed with a goal to help give the Bulldogs a 2-1 victory.

 

Matthews’s goal was the first goal by a female in the history of the Andalusia soccer program said Andalusia coach Tim Ramsden.

 

“It was a really big moment, and probably the highlight of the season so far,” Ramsden said. “Everyone was very happy for her, and as her coach I was very happy to see that accomplishment.”

 

The Bulldogs also squared off with Dothan recently, but fell 3-2 in that contest.

 

“We should have beat Dothan, but we didn’t play as well in that game as we could have,” Ramsden said. “We let them score three sloppy goals.”

 

The game went back and forth as the teams traded goals before Dothan scored a late goal to win 3-2.

 

Yongkuma scored both goals for the Bulldogs in the loss.

 

Following the Dothan match, the Bulldogs traveled to Eufaula for the second matchup of the season against Eufaula.

 

The Bulldogs couldn’t overcome a large deficit from the first half, and lost 4-1.

 

“It was a long drive, and a very cold night,” Ramsden said. “We just didn’t show up to play. One good thing though, was that we were able to get everyone a little bit of playing time.”

 

Taylor Rudy took advantage of his playing time, and knocked in the Bulldogs’ only goal of the contest.

 

Monday night the Bulldogs traveled to Troy to face Charles Henderson, but lost to the Trojans 2-1.

 

“Charles Henderson is an old rivalry of ours,” Ramsden said. “They are kind of like our archenemy in soccer.”

 

It was a very physical game, and Ramsden thinks it might have been a little too physical.

 

“They played very physical,” Ramsden said. “Almost dirty, and the refs let it go and it got out of hand. There should have been a few yellow cards. I don’t mind being out done physically, but when it gets dirty and dangerous, that is a different matter.”

 

Ramsden said the Bulldogs should have won, but allowed the Trojans score on defensive mistakes.

 

Yongkuma scored the Bulldogs’ only goal in the contest.

 

The Bulldogs are currently 1-4 on the season, but Ramsden said the results don’t convey how well the Bulldogs have played so far this season.

 

“I’m disappointed with how the results look on paper, but I’m encouraged with where we are at,” Ramsden said. “We are playing teams that have lots of senior athletes, and for us to be competing with a big part of our team being seventh, eighth and ninth graders, is a huge accomplishment.”

 

Ramsden said that Anna Brady, and Adam Peek have been big assets to the team so far this season.

 

Brady handles all of the corner kicks for the Bulldogs, and does a great job of getting the ball where it needs to be.

 

Peek has been taking on the long throws, and long free kicks for the Bulldogs, and is also an essential key to their defense.

 

The Bulldogs will be back in action tonight as they face the Enterprise Wildcats’ junior varsity squad at 6 p.m. at home.

 

“Enterprise is a very good soccer program,” Ramsden said. “Even though it is just their junior varsity team they will be stacked with 10th and 11th graders. They are going to be big, strong and physical.”